NZ urged to cut power at Easter

By CHRIS DANIELS

National power savings have fallen short of demands, but New Zealanders are being urged to use the Easter break to curb electricity use.

Patrick Strange, co-ordinator of the Grid Security Committee's Winter 2003 group, set up to organise a response to a possible looming power shortage, last week asked the nation to cut electricity consumption by 5 per cent.

Strange, the former chief executive of Auckland lines company Vector, said the country was still well short of this target, with demand dropping around 2 per cent.

South Island demand increased last week as the temperature dropped, but this was offset by lower demand in the North Island.

Strange said the Easter holiday break gave companies a chance to cut electricity demand significantly.

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority had advised businesses to:

* Switch off at the wall any non-essential equipment.

* Ensure that staff working over Easter switched on only equipment they needed.

* Ensure air-conditioning, heating and lighting is switched off for the entire break.

* Bring forward maintenance on air conditioning and heating systems, so they run efficiently over winter.

And home owners going away could switch off all appliances at the wall.